Two-dimensional computer-aided design and graphic arts programs, such as Adobe Illustrator(copyright), available from Adobe Systems Incorporated of San Jose, Calif., generally allow users to organize their designs and artwork into layers, more or less analogous to sheets of acetate bound together. Each object on a layer has a stacking order such that objects can be on top of one another. Similarly, layers are also stacked on top of one another to form the final work.
Programs conventionally provide a layers palette to represent such layers, allowing the user to select the layer on which to draw, reorder the layers by dragging and dropping them with the mouse, and move art from one layer to another.
The invention features methods and apparatus, including computer program apparatus, implementing techniques for displaying information to a user of a system for editing documents containing digital artwork objects, and for using the displayed information in editing such documents.
In general, in one aspect, the techniques include receiving a document containing a hierarchy of digital artwork elements, the hierarchy having at least three levels, the hierarchy including a first container, a second container, and a simple artwork object, the simple object being contained in the second container, the second container being contained in the first container; displaying the hierarchy to a user in a graphical representation including a representation of the first container, the second container, and the simple object; and
displaying a corresponding thumbnail image with each of the first container, the second container, and the simple object, each thumbnail image being a small image of the corresponding artwork.
In general, in another aspect, the techniques include receiving a document containing a hierarchy of digital artwork elements, the hierarchy having a top level, the hierarchy requiring that the elements at the top level all be layers, the document having a first layer and a second layer; and nesting the second layer within the first layer.
In general, in another aspect, the techniques include receiving a user input selecting an aggregation of artwork elements; receiving a user input selecting a release to layers command on the selected group; and responding to the command by expanding the group into separate editable objects and placing each such separate editable object in a corresponding new layer in the document, a new layer being created for each of the objects.
In general, in another aspect, the techniques include displaying a graphical representation of a hierarchy of digital artwork elements of a document; receiving a user input selecting a group from the hierarchy, the group having a position in the hierarchy; receiving a user input dragging and dropping the group from the position to another position in the hierarchy; and redefining the hierarchy according to the user input dragging and dropping the group.
Advantages that may be seen in suitable implementations of the invention include one or more of the following. The user can see a graphic representation of the stacking, grouping, and other properties of objects within the layers of a graphics arts document. The user can readily see which object in the drawing corresponds to a particular layer or row in the layers palette by recognizing the appearance of the object in the document through a thumbnail image. The user can place and manage layers inside layers, which helps the user organize complex documents. The user gets an easy, precise way to move objects between groups and layers. The user can easily and automatically expand a blend or pattern brush into multiple layers for use in animation programs.